Residential slate and tile roofs are great investments because they can last for up to 100 years and beyond. These roofs are made of inorganic material, so they don’t develop mold or moss the way asphalt shingle roofs do. However, they still require yearly maintenance to keep the roof in excellent shape. Here’s how slate and tile maintenance works and how it helps your roof stay safe and effective in the long run.
What Does Slate and Tile Maintenance Involve?
When your roofing contractor performs annual maintenance on your slate, ceramic, or clay tile roof, they check the following:
- Cracked or broken tiles
- Missing or misaligned tiles
- Water stains or leaks inside the house, typically in the attic or top floor
- The gutters. They also clean the gutters to keep debris from building up.
- If the flashings are intact, since flashings prevent water from getting beneath the tiles and causing damage.
- The wooden roof decking beneath the tiles, since the decking supports the tiles’ weight, and it needs to be intact for the tiles to stay in place.
All these inspection steps allow your roofing contractor to determine your tile or slate roof’s current condition. Once your roofing contractor completes their residential roof inspection, they begin repairing any problems or troubles spots they found on your roof. These small repairs and roof maintenance tasks prevent those small problems from growing larger in the long run. Overall, these yearly tile and slate roof maintenance services extend the life of your roof.
What Should You Look For in Your Slate Roofing Contractor?
When you choose a contractor to work on your slate or tile roof, make sure you select one that has extensive experience with these types of roofs. After all, slate and clay tiles are the premiere roofing materials, and they can last for centuries. However, this means that working with them is a niche in the roofing field. Your contractor should be able to install, maintain, repair, and replace your slate or clay tiles properly. Luckily, Kirberg has provided slate and tile roofing services for the century we’ve been in business. In that time, we’ve installed both natural slate roofs and synthetic slate roofs, and we’ve performed maintenance on residential and historic buildings throughout St. Louis. This is the type of experience you should expect from your slate roofing contractor.
Why Should You Prioritize Slate and Tile Roof Maintenance?
You should prioritize yearly slate and tile roof maintenance because annual maintenance prevents small problems from growing larger. This type of maintenance is called preventative maintenance, and it stops your roof from developing significant problems in the long run. While slate and clay tile roofs are generally low maintenance compared to other roof types, a roofing technician should still perform the maintenance tasks listed above at least once a year. Doing so resolves small problems quickly and immediately so those problems don’t harm your entire roof or the home beneath it.
Which Factors Determine How Much Maintenance Your Slate or Tile Roof Needs?
A few factors determine how much maintenance your slate or tile roof needs. One is the roof’s age. Clay and ceramic tile roofs can last up to 100 years, and slate roofs can last well beyond that. If your tile or slate roof is older, it may need more maintenance than a recently installed roof. Additionally, the quality of the slate, clay, or ceramic tiles used also plays into the amount of maintenance you need. However, your roofing contractor should still perform maintenance tasks annually to ensure your roof’s quality hasn’t changed or deteriorated. If you’re aware of these factors for your residential roof, you can let your roofing contractor know about them. Then your contractor can help you develop the right roof maintenance program for your residential slate or tile roof.
Maintain Your Slate or Tile Roof With Kirberg Company
If you want to start a yearly maintenance program for your slate or tile roof, reach out to Kirberg Company today. When you partner with us, we’ll provide customized maintenance services that improve and extend your roof’s lifespan.
